Electric-current regulator.



W. G. HOUSKEEPER. ELECTRIC CURRENT REGULATOR. APPLICATION FILED IEB.21,1911.

1,049,484, Patented Jan. 7, 1913.

WITNESSES:

I BY. (0% W UNITED STATES PATENT orrron.

WILLIAM G. HOUSKEEPER, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOB TO WEST-INGHOUSE LAMP COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA.

' electric lamps, it is often desirable to apply to the lamps severaldiflerent current values at different stages of the evacuation,.thelower current values being applied at the beginning of the evacuatingprocess and the higher values as the process is continued and nears.completion.

It is the purpose of the present invention to provide simple, effectiveand-economical .means whereby the desired and proper current valuesmaybe applied to lamps during evacuation, which means may be readily adated for use with lamps having practically any current rating orcapacity.

The sin 10 figure of the accom anying drawing ilustrates diagrammaticaly apparatus embodying my invention, which apparatus comprises aconstant-current re ulatin device 1 of any SllltfiblGCOIlStIllCtlOIl orc aracter, the primary winding 2 of which is adapted to be connected toa source of alternating current, such as'that shown at 3, and thesecondar winding 4 of which supplies current to t 0 primary windings ofa plurality of series transformers 5, 6 and 7, respectively, havingdifferent ratios of transformation. The secondary windings of the seriestransformers are respectively connected to pairs of normally engagingspring fingers 8, 9. and 10 that are adapted to be separated and engagedby a plug 11 carrying terminals 12 and 13 that are connected toasub-divided auto-transformer '14 constitutin part of a suitable currentregulating evice. The series transformers 5, 6 and 7 may, if desired, beof the sin 1e winding or auto-transformer t pe, and t ey are preferablyso constructed t at the active lengths of t may be adjusted somewhat. Aplurality Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed February 21, 1911.

eir secondaries Patented Jan. 7, 1913. Serial No. 609,939.

of pairs of the clips 8, 9 and 10 are preferably provided respectivelyin the secondary circuits of each of the series transformers 5,6 and 7,1n order that a plurality of autotransformers, or other suitable currentregulating devlces, may be connected thereto. The terminals 12' and 13are separated at or near their free ends only by a thin piece ofinsulatlng material, such as a piece of piper, which is punctured whenthe voltage tween the terminals becomes excessive, as. will occur if anopen circuit occurs in a lamp being evacuated.

The points of sub-division of the auto transformer winding arerespectively connected to stationary contact terminals 15 with which anadjustable switch arm 16 is adapted to engage, the points ofsub-division of the auto-transformer winding correspond1ng,respectively, to the different current ratings or capacities of standardseries incandescent lamps, though other points of sub-division may alsobe provided in order to take care of lamps having other than standardratings or capacities. Other suitable current-regulating means may alsdbe employed, if desired, instead of the sub-' divided auto-transformerwinding 14. The lamps 17, that are to be evacuated, are inserted insockets 18, which sockets are included in the secondary circuit of theautoa transformer 14 for which the lamps constitude a load. Arheostat19, or any other suitable resistance or current-regulating device, isconnected in shunt to the lamps 17 for the purpose of permitting ofgradual application of current to the lamps.

In evacuating the lamps, they are first inserted in the sockets 18, and,while they are substantially completely shunted by the rheostat 19, theplug 11 is inserted between the upper pair of spring fingers 8, theswitch arm 16 being placed upon that one of the stationary contactterminals 15 which corresponds to the nominal rating or current capacityof the lamps being subjected to the evacuation process. The resistanceof the rheostat 19 is then gradually introduced into the shunt circuitaround the lamps and the shunt circuit is finally opened, so that thelamps then constitute the only load for the auto-transformer 14. Thecurrent-regulating device 1 then maintains the current supplied to thelamps substantially constant, this current value being 110 preferablysomething less than the normal current rating or capacity of the lampbeing evacuated, such, for instance, as approximately 60% of the saidnormal value. After this amount of current has been applied to the lampsfor a suitable period, the plug 11 is removed from between the springfingers 8 and inserted between the fingers 9, whereupon a larger amountof current is applied to the lamps, this current being preferably aboutthe normal current rating or capacity of the lam s. After a sufficientperiod of the application of the latter current value to the lamps, theplug 11 is removed from between the spring fingers 9 and insertedbetween the fingers 10, under which condition the current traversing thelamps is something greater than normal current rating or capacitythereof, this value being preferably approximately 130% of the normalcurrent capacity.

While the apparatus is particularly adapted for use in applying theproper current values to lam 5 during the evacuation process, it is notlimited in its use to such a specific application, but the lamps may bereplaced by a load of any other desired character. The percentages ofthe normal current values that are applied to the lamps or other loadmay also be varied from the specific values above given, and any desiredand suitable number of series transformers may be provided withoutdeparting from the spirit of the invention.

, I claim as my invention:

1. Current-regulating apparatus comprising a plurality of sources ofcurrents of different values, means for maintaining the said currentssubstantially uniform in value, a load, and means for connecting thesame to an one of said sources.

2. urrent-regulating apparatus comprising a plurality of sources ofsubstantially constant alternating currents of different values, acurrent regulating device, means for connecting the same to any one ofsaid sources, and a load supplied from said regulating device.

3. Current-regulating apparatus comprising a constant-current regulator,a plurality of series transformers supplied therefrom having differentratios 0 transformation, another transformer adapted to be connected tothe secondary winding of any one of said series transformers, and a loadsupplied from the latter transformer.

4. Currenbregtdating ap aratus comprising a constant-current regu ator,a plurality of seriestransformers supplied therefrom having differentratios of transformation, another transforn'ier adapted to be connectedto the secondary winding of any one of said series transformers, a loadsupplied from the latter transformer, and a resistance adapted to beconnected in shunt to the load.

5. Current-regulating apparatus comprising a constant-current regulator,a plurality of series transformers supplied therefrom having differentratios of transformation, a variable-ratio transformer ada ted to beconnected to the secondary win ing of any one of said seriestransformers, and a load supplied from the variable-ratio transformer.

6. Current-regulating apparatus comprising a constant-current regulator,a lurality of series transformers supplied t erefrom having differentratios of transformation, a variable-ratio transformer adapted to beconnected to the secondary winding of any one of said seriestransformers, a load supplied from the variable-ratio transformer, and aresistance adapted to be connected in shunt to the load. v

7. Current-regulating apparatus comprising a plurality of transformersdiffering in their ratios of transformation and having series-connectedprimary windings, an adjustable-ratio transformer adapted to beconnected to the secondary winding of any one of said seriestransformers, and a load supplied from an adjustable-ratio transformer.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name this 14th dayof Feb.,

WILLIAM G. HOUSKEEPER. .Witnesses:

O'1'r0 S. Sonanuan, B. B. Hmas.

